ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) is planning to organize a Buddhists conference with an aim to promote tourism in the country. The Buddhist scholars, Monks, Travel agents and tour operators would be invited to attend the conference, said Managing Director PTDC Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor while talking to journalists before departing for Thailand on Wednesday, March 1. The Managing Director observed that this 4-day visit to Thailand would prove to increase the influx of Thai tourists to visit Pakistan for witnessing beautiful places, mountaineering areas besides seeing their own religious sites and remains of Buddhist civilization. He said that Pakistan…
Author: holidayweekly
KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has returned its London-bound premier service Airbus 330 aircraft, which was wet, leased from SriLankan Airlines, having already paid $19 million for it. PIA had been paying $8,100 per flying hour for six months as part of the wet lease, it has been learnt. PIA Spokesperson Daniyal Gilani said that the aircraft was obtained on market rate without any legal violations. “The aircraft was new and according to the necessary requirements,” the spokesperson maintained. “The amount paid in the lease also takes into account the salaries of the foreign staff and any other associated expenses,”…
MUSCAT: SalamAir, Oman’s first budget airline has expanded its network by introducing its first international destination, Dubai. The double daily service, which started on February 28, will operate from Muscat International Airport (MCT) to Dubai World Central (DWC) before moving to Dubai International Airport (DXB) on March 26. SalamAir’s growing destination network was made possible with the arrival of the second A320 to its fleet, named “Fateh Al Khair” and will introduce a third daily flight to Salalah. “It has been an exciting start to the year for SalamAir with the introduction of our two destinations, Salalah and Dubai, which…
KARACHI: Pakistan Travel Mart’s Introductory Session was held at Movenpick Hotel Karachi on 1st March 2017. The Top management of local and international airlines, travel agencies, Hajj & Umrah operators, hotels, business community and senior government officials attended the session. Pakistan Travel Mart (PTM) is an annual international travel and tourism expo to be held from 24th-26th November 2017 at Expo Center Karachi. Bukhari Group & Landmark Communications are organizing the Mart. Speaking on the occasion Muhammad Rafiq Khan, Chairman Bukhari Group said that Tourism is vital for forging friendships, creating a better understanding between people of different…
CHICAGO: After years of seeing fewer US customers come in its doors, McDonald’s Corp is embracing a different philosophy: take the food to them. The fast-food chain will rely heavily on delivery to reignite sales, especially in the US, according to executives speaking at McDonald’s investor day in Chicago on Wednesday. The company also is turning more aggressively to digital technology, such as mobile ordering and payments, to meet its growth targets. The overhaul is part of a bid to achieve long-term system wide sales growth of 3 per cent to 5 per cent, starting in 2019. McDonald’s also aims…
NEW DELHI: India is considering selling a majority stake in Air India to a strategic partner after a $3.6 billion bailout failed to turn around the loss making national carrier, the sources said. The proposal includes reviving Air India within five years of selling a 51 per cent stake. Talks are at an initial stage and presentations have been made to the finance ministry and the prime minister’s office. The government isn’t planning to sell 51 per cent stake in the carrier, Civil Aviation Secretary R.N. Choubey said in New Delhi. D.S. Malik, a spokesman at the Ministry of Finance…
WASHINGTON: In a Washington policy speech aimed primarily at the new US administration of President Trump, IATA’s top boss has urged governments to support the vital role aviation plays in connecting people and commerce around the globe. “Our world has grown much wealthier through trade and travel. Air travel liberates people to live better lives and makes our world a better place,” Alexandre de Juniac, the global airline group’s director general and chief executive, told the US Chamber of Commerce 2017 Aviation Summit this week. The aviation sector contributes $680.1bn dollars to GDP In the US and supports 6.2m jobs.…
MANAMA: Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, has once again successfully participated in the recent 2017 Saudi Aramco Annual Travel Show, held between February 20 and 23, at Saudi Aramco’s worldwide headquarters in Dhahran. Alongside travel agents, various airlines and travel and hospitality exhibitors, Gulf Air showcased and promoted some of the airline’s key products and services, its attractive flight schedule to/from five destinations in Saudi Arabia, its flexible and convenient travel proposition in addition to the latest news, flight schedules and fares to/from the airline’s newest route, Tbilisi, Georgia. Gulf Air operates one of the largest networks in…
ABU DHABI: Etihad Airways and Egyptair have announced a new codeshare partnership to be introduced in phases from March 1. Under the initial phase of the agreement, Etihad Airways will place its ‘EY’ code on Egyptair operated flights between Abu Dhabi and Cairo, while Egyptair will place its ‘MS’ code on Etihad Airways flights between the two capital cities. During the second phase, Etihad Airways will gain access to major cities across Africa on flights operated by Egyptair via its Cairo hub. In turn, Egyptair will be able to access key routes to Australia and the Far East served by…
BRUSSELS: Emirates has rejected claims by Lufthansa and Air France-KLM in a letter to the EU that competition from Gulf airlines had forced them to terminate services to Asia. The letter from the CEOs of the French and German carriers this week asked the European Union executive to act over what they say are unfair practices by the Gulf airlines that have caused them to scrap flights to destinations in the Middle East, Asia and India. “It is baffling why two of the largest legacy airlines in Europe are alleging that Gulf carriers have caused them to contract their Asian…